Univ., Phil. Diss.--Münster, 1872.

Programm--K. Realschule, Berlin. / Cover-title.

Faroese is known to lie grammatically between Icelandic and the Mainland Scandinavian languages and dialects. One example of this is that, on the one hand, Faroese is like Icelandic in having a basically intact morphological four case system. On the other hand case-marking in Faroese is linked to clause function to a greater degree than in Icelandic – but to a lesser degree than in the Mainland Scandinavian standard languages. In Scandinavian Linguistics, it has long been an axiom that in the longer term the aforementioned four case system will be reduced in all varieties of the Scandinavian languages. The present thesis investigates if, and if so how, this expected development manifests itself in Senior High School graduation essays in Faroese from the period 1940–1999. A quantitative study forms the core of the thesis. The choice between the dative and other cases is related to eight syntactic variables whose effect on the choice of case is compared using methods from the variationist framework, among others. The results are partly surprising: the dative did not reduce in frequency from the 1940s to 1990s. There certainly is a tendency, however not a statistically significant one, that the dative is more often replaced by another case in contexts where the norm is to use the dative. On the other hand it also seems to become more common for the dative to be used hypercorrectly. Furthermore, the development is not linear, in that around the middle of the investigation period, the dative is used far more according to norms than otherwise. As expected, clause function is an important variable, but by the end of the period under investigation the placement of the nominal phrase within the clause becomes a surprisingly strong factor. It also becomes more important if the phrase takes the form of a first/second-person pronominal or not. The results are theoretically interpreted in the light of, firstly, Generative Grammar, and secondly Construction Grammar. The modification of certain terms is discussed, such as lexical case in Generative Grammar or usage-based model in Construction Grammar. The conclusion is that the linguistic descriptive models of these theories can only partly cover the tendencies to change that are observed. Other parts of the results are best explained using aspects of sociolinguistics. The conclusion is that case studies on a micro-level are valuable in order to evaluate and develop theories of linguistic variation and change at a macro-level.

Zugl.: Trier, Univ., veränd. Habil.-Schr., 2004

Akademisk avhandling--Gothenburg. / Cover wanting. "Litteraturförteckning": p. [v]-viii.

Föremålet för denna uppsats är det fornsvenska verket Tungulus, sådant det föreligger i hand­skriften Cod. Holm. D 4a, daterad till 1457. Dess troliga tillkomstplats är Strängnäs. Vid tiden för denna handskrifts tillblivelse var det fornsvenska fyrkasussystemet i upplös­ning. Uppsatsen beskriver i vilken grad och hur kasussystemet används i Tungulus och jämför resul­tatet med vad forskningen säger om systemets status vid 1400-talets mitt. Analysen visar att texten bär tydligt vittnesbörd om bortfallsprocessen – att skrivaren var en del av den språkgemenskap som var på väg att lämna kasusbruket. Dock finns en viss konser­va­tiv tendens; delar av kasussystemet är alltjämt i bruk, om än vacklande, och enstaka exempel kan uppfat­tas som arkaiserande. Det vacklande bruket omfat­tar bl.a. maskulina nomina­tiv­än­delsen -er (eeldher, swarter), bestämda feminina ackusa­tiv­ändelsen -a (siälinä) och adjektivens ackusativ­än­del­se -an (diupan). Utjäm­ningen mellan nominativ och ackusativ är långt fram­skriden men inte undan­tags­lös; här finns flera exempel på former som inte skulle komma att överleva kasusbortfallet.

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (doctoral)--Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 1996. / "Stellingen" laid in. Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-221).

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Lund, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [363]-378).